Shirt-starching machine.



PATENTED MAY 14, .1907.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2 9,.19'04.

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,PATENTED MAY14, 1907.

J. W. BRITTAIN.

SHIRT STARGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1904.

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JOHN WESLEY BRITTAIN, OF KILMAINHANE, DUBLIN, IRELAND, ASSIGNOR TO AUBLET HARRY & co, LTD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SHlRT-STARCHING MACHINE.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed November 29, 1904. Serial No. 234,817.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WESLEY BRIT- TAIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of 1 St. Marthas, South Circular Road, Kil'mainham, Dublin, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Improved Shirt-Starching Machines, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to an improved shirt starching machine and it has for its ob'- ject to produce a simple and effective device whereby the proper impregnation withstarch of those portions of the shirt which are required to be stiffened may be expeditiously and easily effected.

In carrying the invention into effect I construct a receptacle designed to contain the starch which receptacle may be of wood, metal or other suitable material or materials and provided with a suitable lid or cover adapted to form a surface upon which the starching is effected. Located within the receptacle at one end thereof and arranged transversely of the length of the said receptacle is a roller of any suitable form around which is wound a band composed preferably of two pieces of material one absorbent such as swansdown or the like and the other of a porous nature such as canvas or a single material having those qualities may be used, de signed to form a vehicle whereby the starch is carried from the receptacle and applied to the shirt. In use the porous material or side of material is next the part to be starched. One end of the aforesaid band is secured to the roller while the other passes through an opening in the lid or cover and is provided with a rod or bar whereby the material may be drawn by the hands over the surface of the cover.

In practice, assuming the front of a shirt is to be starched, the shirt is grasped at a suitable distancebelow the front by thehands and with it the barat the end of the band hereinafter termed the apron. The shirt is then drawn over the receptacle the impregnated apron at the same time being drawn out of the receptacle so that eventually the shirt front lies upon the surface of the apron and the back of the shirt front is in contact with the saturated apron which is between it and the said cover. WVhen in this position the shirt is rubbed by hand and the impregnation with starch may be properly and evenly effected in an expeditious manner.

When the starching is completed the apron is rewound u on the roller and means are provided to e 'ect the rewinding of the apron upon its roller.

One end of the receptacle, the opposite end to that carrying the roller, is left open in 0rd or that if desired cuffs or the like may be inserted in the starch when the cover is being used to starch the shirt front.

In order that the invention may be the- -better understood drawings are appended in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon line AA Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the device with one side removed. Fig. 5 shows the apron and roller removed from the receptacle. Fig. 6 is a plan of the open end of the receptacle with the cover removed. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the machine showing the means for operating the apron carrying roller.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a indicates the body of the receptacle which may be made of wood or metal, or partly Wood and metal or other material and may.

be provided with a steam or water jacket. In some cases wood is preferable as it does not cause the starch so quickly to become cooled as would be the case were only metal to be employed. The outline of the receptacle is preferably that shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

The roller before referred to comprises a circular body I in the present instance which is formed of wood. The ends of the roller are suitably supported upon the ends of screws or studs such as shown at 0. At one end the roller has secured thereto a grooved pulley d to which is secured one end of a cord 6 wound around said grooved pulley and passing therefrom around sheave f carried in bracket f secured to side of the receptacle a and down tube f the free end of the cord may be secured to a treadle so that it may be operated by foot or otherwise.

In Fig. 7 is shown a device by means of which the cord 6 may be operated. In this construction, the receptacle is mounted on a standard M, at one side of which is pivoted a treadle N which carries at its freeend a sheave O. The free end of the cord is attached to the base M after having been passed around the sheave 0. By this construction, when the treadle is depressed, the roller Z) is operated.

The returning mechanism may also be at tached in any other convenient. way to the roller as the precise appliances used for this purpose are not of the essence of my present invention. I

The apron g is formed either of two pieces of material, one porous and the other absorbent or of a single material having one side porous and one absorbent and at its free end is secured to a transverse bar or rod g which can be readily grasped by thehands when-it is desired to withdraw the apron from the receptacle for the starching opera, tion.

it indicates a removable imperforate lid or cover formed of wood which may be con' nected with the body a by means of depending plates h slotted at their lower ends to engage the projections or screws 71?, or other suitable means may be provided to attach the cover to the receptacle. The vertical and horizontal outlines of the said removable cover are preferably those shown in the draw- 1n s.

Ihe sides of the receptacle are as will be seen reduced in height at the points 'i so that the rear end of the cover overhangs in order to permit those portions of the shirt which it is not desired to starch to be placed out of the way. A plate or guard j is provided being secured at its edges to the sides of the receptacle. The end of plate j is turned or bent into a vertical position forming a guard to prevent the skirts of the shirt from entering the well 76 provided for the purpose of starching. the cuffs of the shirt and which cuffs are introduced therein and allowed to remain during the starching of the front. When it is desired to use the device the starch is introduced. The front skirt of the shirt is grasped by the two hands and the shirt-drawn forward until the hands are able to grasp bar or rod g The forward movement of the shirt is continued and the apron drawn out until the front of the shirt rests upon the apron, that portion of the front skirt of the shirt not to be starched being disposed beneath the overhanging portion of the cover. The cuffs are next introduced into the well and the transference of the starch to the shirt effected by rubbing the front with the hands. The rubbing is con tinued until the front has absorbed the necessary amount of starch which it will be noted penetrates there through from back to front. The cuffs are removed from the well, the superfluous starch being rubbed off and the shirt removed from the device. The cord is next pulled and the unwinding of the said cord causes the roller torevolve rolling the apron up ready for the next operation.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is 1. In a-starching machine, the combination with a starch receptacle provided with an unperforated cover, an apron, means for normally holding the apron within the receptacle and means by which the apron may be drawn over the cover during the starching operation.

2. In a starching machine, the combina tion with a starch receptacle provided with an unperforated cover, an apron, means for normally holding the apron within the receptacle, means by which the apron may be drawn over the cover during the starching operation and means for returning the apron into the starch receptacle after the starching operation has been completed.

3. In a starching machine, the combination with a starch receptacle of an unperforated cover adapted to form a surface upon which the starching operation is effected, a roller mounted within the receptacle, an apron adapted to be wound upon the roller and means whereby the apron can be drawn over the cover during the starching operation.

4. In a starching machine, the combination with a starch receptacle, of an unperforated cover adapted to form a surface upon which the starching operation is effected, a roller mounted within the receptacle, an apron adapted to be wound upon the roller, means whereby theapron can be drawn over the cover during the starching operation and means for operating the roller to rewind the apron thereon after the starching operation JOHN WESLEY BRITTAIN.

Witnesses:

A. J. HONEYMAN, H. N. WORKE. 

